[loosey]

And my word, was it vile!!!

We went to a friends for dinner and they were very excited about cooking Belly Pork for us ... strange, I thought, being that we have more pork that we can eat, and especially considering it's all our own.

They cooked up some chinese marinated Belly pork and it smelt quite nice, not much fat on it, bit pale in the packet.

I coudn't eat it, managed to swallow my first mouthful but it was terrible, terrible, terrible!!!! Even my "eats anything out in front of him" other half couldn't manage it. Felt really bad 

Maybe it was a bad batch but we went home hungry and devoured half a home cured ham instead! 

[HappyHippy]

I'm the same - just can't stomach it !
Bacon especially ! The only one I've found which I can eat is about £4 for 8 rashers and I can't afford that on a regular basis  especially with 4 kids ! Who, incidentally will ask 'is this ours?' before tucking in. If I say no they're not as enthusiastic to eat it ! Rebecca's even asking if we can raise our own chickens now, and she's only 7 ! Oh dear, what have I done
Home grown tastes best !
Karen x

[oaklandspigs]

And my word, was it vile!!!

We went to a friends for dinner

Hope they don't read this forum !

"Soggy cardboard pork" I call it - tasteless, bland and watery.

[Hairy Hogs]

The cardboard would doubtless taste better!

I have a big problem with bacon (Tesco Finest Wiltshire Smoked) I seem to recall   It swims from the pan and smells like fish whilst it cooks, smells worse than a tuna salad!!!

Jason
www.hairyhogs.co.uk

[velcro]

Here in Normandy the supermarkets regularly have offers with pork around 3.50 euros a kilo.
It looks disgusting, heaven knows what it tastes like.
I'll stick to my own pork, at least we know what its eaten and what a good life its had.

[Leri]

Why on earth did they give it to you?!! 

[Fowgill Farm]

My OH will not eat any pork except ours and none of our friends would dream of feeding us pork that wasn't ours! Bit naughty of your friends to do that when they could buy good stuff from you! But then i have a SIL who buys sausages from god knows where that are about 2% meat and are factory farmed! You just can't understand some people's logic!
Mandy 

[Leri]

They probably think it's cruel to eat animals you've raised and they thought were cute etc. I get that at work! How could you eat them etc. I mean fair enough if those people are vegetarian - each to their own - but they're not - they'd just prefer to eat 'meat' from animals they nor anyone they know knew personally , that probably had a miserable life.
There is no going back once you have tasted your own home grown pork. I don't have many pigs though so not a very regular supply as yet so will happily buy other folks home grown stuff too - just won't be returning to supermarket stuff if can help it!!

[loosey]

No idea Leri!

Even worse is that we gave them half a pig in November so they've had our pork but are still happy with what the supermarkets provide.

I also have another friend who will eat nothing but Richmond skinless sausages ... the more meat content, the less she lies them!!!! Yuk!!

[Hilarysmum]

I get the cruelty bit all the time.  I find them hypocritical.  Just have to resist telling them that in the abattoir the poor devils from the elevages are on a jolly, having never seen daylight before in many cases.  The abattoir have to keep the lights dim for the pigs as they are unused to brighter light.

[loosey]

I get much of the same ... "how can you kill them", "you're so mean" etc etc.

I always stick to my standard response; if I'm going to eat meat, I shan't be hypocritical enough to eat an animal who has been cooped up in the dark for much of it's life. I feel no guilt in eating one of my own who I know without doubt has thoroughly enjoyed it's life at every stage. Makes me mad!

[SallyintNorth]

Ditto ditto ditto.

Mind, I was very taken aback when my mum apologised but said she couldn't eat any of the leg of Gaby I sent down.  She said she knew and agreed with all the logic about eating pigs that'd had a really good life (and as best a death as we could arrange) but that she just didn't think she could eat someone she'd formed a relationship with.

So we've agreed that in future I will only send down pork from my neighbour's smallholding.   

[Eve]

Yes, the "how can you eat your own animals?" is a gold medal winner in the hypocrisy game.

My usual response is "how can you eat supermarket meat??" with the same horrified tone they used. Sometimes you can just see it dawning on people: "if she's so horrified about supermarket meat that she raises her own animals, there must be a good reason for it". 

It's hard, though, the first time, isn't it, when you take animals to slaughter.

[Leri]

Yes it is. I admit that - although I feel better now about it. I had sort of closed my mind to the lambs going and the cows that Ger had hand reared and I'd let lick me etc. But when the first of my pigs went it was down to me to get them in the trailer etc.
I didn't go to the slaughterhouse I must admit. Ger's dads took them. I did go and collect the meat though.
Ger's dad told me that by not going until the morning (some farmers had been and dropped off their pigs the night before in the pens) there was a queue, so they waited some time. But am sure the pigs would've been fine and none the wiser in the trailer. Because all the pens were full and they were trying to get the queue down they basically unloaded the queue trailer by trailer and stunned the animals immediately they left the trailer. I think I felt better about that than thinking about them hanging about in the pens.
I have done a deal with my son - Ruby and Rosie, two of our sows will grow into very old ladies with us - they are pals of ours we cannot deny it. We have shaken hands on that and he is ok about others going. We are trying to accept immediately that we won't be keeping piglets we have etc. We are currently fattening 7 ourselves as we didn't manage to sell them all so they'll be going mid April/May. It is hard. You won't believe that I was vegetarian for 10 years! From high school age until I got pregnant with my daughter. (I have more sympathy with vegetarians than people who think I'm cruel but eat rubbish meat themselves) I have explained to friends who are vegetarian that I 'get' farming now - and that I am comfortable eating meat I know has enjoyed life and is full of goodness for my children. They respect that - and are pleased to know there are farmers that care :-)
Hope that makes sense

[Hilarysmum]

Thats a great posting.  I will print it and give it to the next person who asks how can I eat my own pigs.  Actually if they spent a week with Hilary in and out of their kitchen they may well not have to ask that question again.  (Hilary is now back in her field). 

I dont understand the reasoning of someone offering you supermarket pork when they knew you reared your own.  Perhaps they dont have taste buds?